You just can’t beat healthy homemade granola. I’m not sure if you have ever had the chance to review a nutrition facts table on a store bought version before, but the results are not exactly pretty. As a matter of fact, there scary!

Most are full of fat and sugar, along with being high in calories. Sure they may taste amazing, but there not necessarily the best choice if your trying to watch what you eat. A lot of versions do contain healthy fats from different nuts and seeds, however it’s the added oil’s and sugar which are really the unfortunate culprit.

In contrast, when you prepare granola at home you can control exactly what goes in it. As a result you can prepare granola with less fat and calories than store-bought versions.

For an added bonus, it is actually extremely easy to make.

For this Honey Apricot Quinoa Granola, I used nutrient dense chia seeds, walnuts, quinoa and oats. All are sources of protein, which helps boost up the muscle gaining power.

Chia seeds in addition to walnuts contain those good for you Omega-3 fats and are rich in antioxidants. Chia seeds are also a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber. Equally nutritious, walnuts are sources of folate, vitamin E and manganese. Check out these Coco for Cocoa-Nut Protein Balls for another creative way to use both chia seeds and walnuts.

Quinoa together with rolled oats are whole grains. In other words, they are both un-processed. Both are good sources of fiber and contain an abundance of different vitamins and minerals. Neither contain gluten, so can be safely consumed if you have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.

For the last few times I have went home to see my family, my mother has made this amazing granola using dried apricots. Apricots are those beautifully orange colored fruit, which are also rich in vitamin A. Even when dried, apricots are incredibly juicy and not overly sweet. For this reason I wanted to incorporate the flavour of my mothers granola into my own, and add some apricots along with dried raisins.

If you dislike apricots or raisins, or you simply have other dried fruit to use, you can substitute with whatever fruit you would like. Same goes for the nuts, you can really customize it any way your heart desires. In essence, the end results will still be amazing and mouth watering granola.

If your vegan, simply replace the honey with maple syrup. The remaining ingredients are all vegan and gluten free.

To make the granola, firstly preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, walnuts, chia seeds, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, oil, and vanilla. Then add the honey mixture to the large bowl and mix well.

Pour evenly coated mixture onto the lined baking pan and spread out evenly. Place in the pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes, making sure to stir every 10-15 minutes so that it cooks evenly and not in clumps.

For storage, store in an airtight container in a cool location for up until 2 weeks. For longer storage, place in the freezer for up to 3 months, removing just prior to serving.

How did you make your granola? Did you use any other ingredients?

Honey Apricot Quinoa Granola

Rate this recipe

Average: 5/5

2 ratings

Author: Charlene Pors

Yield: 6 cup

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

Ingredients

2.5 cup rolled oats, certified gluten free

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cup chia seed

1/2 cup chopped walnut

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup apricots, chopped

1/4 cup raisins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, walnuts, chia seeds, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, oil, and vanilla. Add the honey mixture to the large bowl and mix well until everything is coated.

Pour mixture onto the lined baking pan and spread out evenly. Place in the pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes, making sure to stir every 10-15 minutes so that it cooks evenly and not in clumps.

When done and the granola is no longer wet or moist, remove from oven and add dried fruit. Mix together, and let cool prior to serving.

For storage, store in an airtight container in a cool location for up until 2 weeks. For longer storage, place in the freezer for up to 3 months, removing just prior to serving.